I couldn't connect with the characters and felt like the plot wasn't strong. I could not rate this book higher than a 3, so I did not review it on the blog.

4 stars

To Win Her Smile by Mackenzie Crowne was beautiful and heartwarming read. I really enjoyed it.

The writing is well done, the storyline held my attention all throughout the book and I really liked both Wyatt and Piper.
It warmed my heart watching their relationship unfold, they had great chemistry and totally belonged together.

Overall a lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon, I highly recommend this book.

*A big thank you to the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest thoughts*

Grade: B

MacKenzie Crown’s latest sports romance centers around a superstitious adrenalin junkie football player and a bonafide British Baroness who moonlights as a photographer. Piper Darrow needs cash fast in order to save her family’s debt strapped estate so she agrees to some side work photoaging for the Mahatten Marauders. When star player Wyatt Hunter’s pass goes wild and injures Piper, Wyatt goes on to have the best game of his career and is now convinced she is his new good luck charm. In his need to keep her close, their attraction blazes up and only grows hotter the more time they spend together. When Wyatt’s family uncovers something about Piper that makes him doubt everything they have, Wyatt has to dig deep and decide who’s he going to trust? His fear or his heart?

This sexy and humorous romance cleverly hides a strong emotional undertow that gradually makes itself known as readers become more enamored with this couple. The sports aspects are knowledgeable and blend well with the spicy romance and family fueled conflicts affecting both protagonists. Told in alternating POVs, this strong, intelligent, and independent couple moves at a steady respectable pace, allowing them time to get to know one another. The engaging dialogue and multiple settings are highlighted by a colorful cast, steamy love scenes, and family issues. A very well done grovel scene at the end seals the deal.

ally enjoyed the mildly zany but still believable plot of this novel. Wyatt and Piper were alternately baiting each other and flirting until finally they gave in. It was fun to watch unfold.

Piper needs money to help save her family's estate and Wyatt offers her a job that could answer all her money problems, but will the personal sacrifice be too much...

Mackenzie Crowne has spun a modern day romance that brings a sports figure, Wyatt, and a titled lady, Piper, into a story that is a little bit sweet and a little bit sassy. Throw in some spice, a bit of political scandal, some family drama, a little betrayal followed by an HEA that will have you swooning and you have To Win Her Smile.

4.5 Stars

This was the first book I’ve read by Mackenzie Crowne and oh my goodness did I love it!

Her witty writing style sucked me right into Piper and Wyatt’s story.

Wyatt is a professional quarterback in the NFL and has these quirky superstitions that you may find other professional athletes having. Except instead of having a lucky rabbit’s foot, he has lucky women. Or in this case he finds Piper to be the team’s lucky charm.

Piper Darrow, Baroness of Delaney, finds herself at the tail end of a soaring football that gets tipped straight into her face at a professional football game. She ends up with a broken nose but also finds herself intensely attracted to the quarterback who feels horrible for breaking her nose from the pass that he threw. Piper’s passion is photography but she also feels a sense of duty as a Baroness to look after the estate that has resided in her family for over four hundred years. Her estate, and home, becomes threatened by her snooty and dare I say, bitchy, cousin if she isn’t paid her inheritance that is due by New Year’s Eve.

The story that comes out of these circumstances is fantastic! I loved the other professional athletes that take part, who I’m also assuming are from the previous books in the series. There are also the Gridiron Girls who are the wives and significant others of the other teammates on Wyatt’s team. Piper’s best friend Moira and her extended family, Tilly and Angus, are all hysterical and had me laughing out loud quite frequently throughout the book.

Needless to say, you NEED to read this book! It is so worth it.

Seriously loved it!

Loved it! This series just keeps getting better with each new book. I really enjoyed the dialogue of Piper. & her family's scottish phrases & profanity, it's a nice change from the everyday Americanized slang. Both the characters of Wyatt & Piper were strong but caring, with a very steamy side, especially for Piper when she refuses to give up on a promise made even though she was devastated by the person she made the promise to.. We see the softer side of Wyatt when his young niece is around & the controversy surrounding her also shows us his protective side when it comes to her being hidden from his father & the media. We also see the greed & sadness that has been brought into Piper's life since her father's death but there's also a determination in her that pushes her past all that. Unfortunately for all, the forces of greed & selfishness rear their ugly heads & put Wyatt & Piper at odds with each other. The intrigue of the chase, the joy of catching love, the fear of being broken & the heartbreak of losing love are just a few of the emotions running through this book that takes us on the ride through Wyatt & Piper's story. Definitely recommend to read.

4 1/2 STARS!

A sexy pro baller plus a touch of British royalty equals the sassy ride of a lifetime! We recognize most of the supporting cast from previous books in the Players series, and enjoy jumping into their mix again. Lots of chemistry between characters and family turmoil abounds! Really fun and feisty read!

British Baroness Piper Darrow is undercover in Manhattan taking the opportunity to visit an old friend and take part in a charity event at the same time. She never expects to meet the sexy quarterback of the Manhattan Marauders in quite such a slamming way!

Wyatt Hunter is taken with Piper as soon as he sets eyes on her, and the fact that her misfortune on the sidelines of the game happened to be his turning point to a victory makes her this season's good luck charm! He'll do anything to convince her to stick around and help the team make it to the play-offs! When he offers her a deal she can't refuse considering she's a bit money strapped, will they use the opportunity to grow closer or will secrets tear them apart before they get the chance?

To Win Her Smile by MacKenzie Crown
Players #5

Do you believe in luck? Some, especially those that are sports minded and like to win, do believe and either have a routine or a charm or something they adhere to religiously – Wyatt Hunter is just such a man. When Wyatt’s football pass hits Piper Darrow on the sidelines changing their game from a loss to a win he is willing to stake money and more on getting her to attend the rest of the games. Piper, in need of money, has mixed feelings about the situation. Eventually an agreement is hammered out that includes photographs, money coming in from more than one source and the potential for some hot steamy times – without commitment. Well, a story can’t roll along smoothly without glitches so add in Wyatt’s politically minded father who has his nose in everything, a secret Wyatt’s sister does not want to come out, Piper’s atrocious cousin, misperceptions, mistrust and misconceptions and you have much to contend with. And…you also have a well written book that is not sunshine for all from beginning to end. I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. I am not sure if this is the last book in the series but I have a feeling it might be since there are five books published now and mention of The Fabulous Five throughout. There ARE other characters that could have their stories told, though, so who knows?

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books – Lyrical Shine for the ARC. This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

to win her smile, is the fifth book in the gridiron players series. quarterback wyatt hunter has no idea how things will change when he decides the woman he inadvertently hit with a football on the sidelines is his new lucky charm.

piper darrow has plenty of reasons to avoid a professional athlete, her ex saddled her with the label of the gold-digging baroness, and her land-rich, cash-poor inheritance helped lend credence to his claims. the last thing she wants in her life is another jock, especially not a superstar football player with hordes of press coverage, and even worse, his father happens to be running for president. so them as a thing can't happen.

except someone forgot to tell her traitorous body. because one kiss from wyatt and piper's reasons completely slip her mind. and then there's the fact that wyatt keeps saying things like sticking together and falling for her and other words that commitment-phobes avoid. so she starts believing that maybe he won't let her down.

of course he's a guy, and she's a lady, and there's this huge misunderstanding where he doesn't trust her or himself, mainly because someone he loves is hurt. and so winning piper back is going to take one hell of a grand gesture, because she'd been so close to believing in them when he forgot to believe in her. and those lapses of trust are harder to forgive even when you understand the reasons why.

to win her smile is an enjoyable sports romance, and even though the fifth (possibly last) in the series it stands alone. although i enjoyed this enough to want to check some of the other books out.

To Win Her Smile is rich in laughter, strong in character and full of heart. Any story where the titular character has the ingenuity to not wait to be rescued but work toward their own salvation is aces with me. It's always a added bonus to discover a heroine as relatable and spirited as Piper. She bucked the odds by seeking a life filled with happiness. Wyatt, may be a jock but he's no fool. When the heart speaks he listens and that made him a winner in my book. Ms. Crowne continues to bring excitement and heart to some of the most delightful characters romance has to offer.

Loved this book! It had a ton of great characters and the story was fun and easy with a great flow to it. Angus is now one of my all time favorite characters! I really enjoyed how the relationship between Wyatt and Piper developed and how kind and caring Wyatt was when he found out about Piper's issues. Just an all round feel good story that left me smiling and happy. I highly recommend it to everyone.

Wyatt has perfected the charming rascal face that he shows the world and for the most part he’s found a way to live a life that he wants.  But all is not perfect in his world.  Piper knows what it is like to have the world turn on you but she’s got moxie and is willing to work for what she holds dear.  It can’t be easy for either of them living in such scrutiny, but at least it is something that they can both understand.  And best of all, both of them have a great support system in their friends and family.  (Well, for the most part.) 

Together Wyatt and Piper are a hoot.  From their first introduction to the take no prisoners seduction campaign that Wyatt stages, there is laughter and fun and heat.  He definitely makes it difficult for Piper to do what she feels is best and resist the oh-so-tempting QB.  And then … *sigh* I knew before I started that Wyatt was going to do something to screw things up.  (Well, one of them was and it was most likely going to be him.)  That didn’t stop me from giving these two my heart and then watching him just stomp all over it.  I understand why he does what he does – and major props to the guy for making up for it – but that didn’t stop me from getting mad and hurt … but that’s what tells you you’ve found a great book and an amazing author, right?  That you get so invested in the characters that it feels like you are involved with them too?

I have loved this series from the beginning and I was super excited to be given the chance to not only read this one but to be involved in promoting it.  At least until I realized that Ms. Crowne said this was it, the last of the series.  Say it isn’t so!!!  If this is your first chance to experience these rough and tumble football players (and the women who bring them to their knees) it is definitely a great place to start.  But don’t blame me when you find yourself adding the rest to your TBR pile  :)

Thank you to Net-Galley, the publisher and author for the ARC. This is my thoughts and only my thoughts on the story. NO form of payment was received.

I have read all but one of the books in this series, and I will be reading it. This one is my favorite. I love Wyatt and Piper. Both are dealing with things caused by family in life that they wish they didn't have to. Pipers is a bitch of a cousin causing her grief and for Wyatt it is his dad, running to be POTUS.

The chemistry between these two is off the charts. I was not ready for the book to end! I was sucked into the story from the get go. I love Mac and her stories. Another great story!

This was a sweet romance sports read and I enjoyed it a lot. The characters were enjoyable and the storyline was great. I even enjoyed all of the secondary characters. Piper knows what its like to have someone accuse her of using another person and feeling helpless to stop the rumors. The last thing she wants is to get involved with someone else but Wyatt Hunter is hard to resist. I enjoyed reading how their relationship developed and they were so sweet together. However, Wyatt has a secret to keep and someone will use what they have to get what they want. As they say, money is the root of all evil and it applies to this book. The ending was wrapped up nicely but I wished we got to see Wyatt's dad reaction when the truth came out since it was made a big deal in the story. So, that part of the story felt a little unfinished because I wanted to know what was said; what his dad said. Anyways, I enjoyed this story and I would definitely read more books from this author.

This was a charming story that involved two worlds melding together through the circumstances of an arrant football pass. The story was completely diminished by the foul language and graphic sex. This is truly an author who I would like to have do a 'sweet' version of her book. I think it would have a great appeal. I know for me it would, as I'd like to find out more about the lives of the other characters, especially Wyatt's sister. I won't be wading through any of Mackenzie Crowne's other books though as this one was written. Not worth it.

What a fantastic story. Piper was down in her luck and took a job as a photographer to work a special event for the Manhattan Marauders. Little does she know. It isn't going to be easy as her it's not a quick job especially when she gets hit in her nose buy their quarterback Wyatt Hunter. I loved the main characters and all the secondary ones. Football is my favorite sport so this book wasn't just about their love story to me but the long road to the championship!!!

4.5 Stars
MacKenzie Crowne is a new author to me but she won't be new for very long, I loved this book and I need to read the previous books in the Players series.
British Baroness Piper Darrow is having a hard time, her inherited estate needs money and if she is going to keep it in her families name she needs a lot of money and fast so when she gets the chance to go to the US as a photographer to take take some pictures at the Manhattan Marauders Football Game she jumps at it but what she doesn't expect is for the hot quarterback Wyatt Hunter to throw a pass that ended up smacking her on the nose ....
Wyatt Hunter is a superstitious athlete and he gets into his head that Piper is the teams good luck charm so he will do what ever is needed to keep her a every game even if that means paying her to be there...
What starts as a business arrangement turns into a love affair but what happens when Wyatts powerful family find out about Pipers past, will he trust Piper enough to follow his heart. If you love sports romance this is a must read. Can't wait to read more from this author.

To Win Her Smile, Mackenzie Crowne

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre:  Romance,

I didn't realise this was book five in a series, but its one of those where each story is a stand alone, and connected by the characters so I was able to keep up OK ;-) 

I really enjoyed this read, loved Piper, understood her desire to keep the family estate intact, it sounds a wonderful place and there's so much family history attached.
Times are tough though, and she's facing a fierce financial deadline, so when offered the chance to earn enough to clear it she jumps at the chance. Its using her beloved photography skills too, she's been running the estate as a posh B&B but photography is what really is her preferred way of earning, she loves the magic found in the right picture. 

She's working for Wyatt though, as well as his team, and gets to know the group well. Wyatt makes it clear he's wants more than just her there as his lucky charm...more than her taking pics for the charity calendar, and soon they're into a hot and steamy relationship for the five weeks she's there working. 

I loved Wyatt too, talented, a great team mate and player yet his father, just starting a bid for Presidency, doesn't see how well he does, can't see he's doing what he loves, he's simply irritated that Wyatt hasn't followed him into politics. He wants him around solely to back up the family image, to boost his own career. He needs squeaky clean family, and as usual his employees are checking into every part of their lives.  
Secrets beware! and of course we all have them. 

Of course just when everything is going well it isn't...and in a way that brought the story down for me.
I saw this angle coming way, way off, as soon as something happened right back in the early part of the book, but thought it was so obvious and clunky that maybe the author had thrown it in to distract form the real story line. As we got closer to the end more clues came in, almost spoon feeding us to the event.
I still kept hoping that it would be something else, this was too easy, too simplistic and surely Piper as a professional would have taken measures to ensure it couldn't happen. 
But no...Sigh...I was right :-( and that brought the story down a star. 

I was so angry with Wyatt, but understood his reaction, absolutely loved the way he was made to work for redemption, the way it covered months in the story, not juts one of those sorry, I goofed, effed up and its all happy, happy, happy on the next page. 
I do like my characters to have to work hard for forgiveness, love the leads to be feeling really sad, upset, distraught, and Piper was all those. 

Its got the perfect ending too. If only that reveal had been less clumsy, less obvious it would have been a full five star read for me. 

Stars:Four, a great read, just brought down by a too obvious story line. 

ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers

LOVED IT!! Wyatt and Pipper'so chemistry is off the charts smokin hot. This book is so heartfelt. This book is well written and flowed together perfectly. I highly recommend reading this book.